Things I’m Loving

Last year I wrote a weird and wonderful round-up of things on my radar, and it consistently ranks among the favourite pages on this here Log.

So I thought it was time to unveil the innerworkings of my Spring 2013.

Et voila…

I. THINGS THAT MAKE ME THINK

Award season sees the worlds of media, culture, fashion and celebrity play bumper cars for screen time. While it’s not all bad, the insipid nature of a lot of the commentary and analysis leaves me cold.

Perhaps this is why the glaring gaps and confounding charm of Jennifer Lawrence’s post-Oscar press interview ticks all my boxes. She may have launched a thousand animated GIFs, but I like her moxie. I like it hard.

(and incidentally, man do I love her look)

Likewise, the airbrushed, Instagrammed world of modern media means everyone in my sphere (from friends to colleagues to news sources) curate their life to the Nth degree.

While I’m all for the performative and I find the whole thing intellectually interesting, I do wonder what this added layer of pretense is doing to us all.

II. FOOD

I’ve spent most of the winter in hibernation mode. We have eaten ourselves sick on root veg, yeasted doughs and things smothered in gravy.

And now is the season for change. I’m not going to pretend it will constitute a smaller proportion of desserts, but it will include lighter, fresher ones.

To this end I’m spending an inordinately large amount of time oogling the free Martha Stewart Cookies app. I love anything that means visual browsing. But a photo catalogue of cookies? I’m sold.

I’m also regularly whipping up Smitten Kitchen’s Buckeyes (aren’t they beautiful? She is one hell of a photographer and kitchen god).

I 50%-love the nostalgia of these Midwestern treats, and 50%-love that they take no baking.

You know you’ve crossed the Line of Lazy when you roll them flat on a cookie sheet and cut squares instead rolling the fiddly, adorable balls, but you also have the 10 minute treat to cure all ills. Win win.

Unrelatedly, we’ve decided not to elope. But that aside, this has so much right.

Plus, I have found some gorgeous Michigan weddings which make me believe this is all actually possible, despite my worries and weirdness. Just look at Leelenau, in all it’s glory. I may not love this wedding, but boy do I love its location.

V. THE FUTURE IS NOW

I’m spending a lot of time on science and tech related business of late. Amazing, stimulating collaborations which really test my boundaries as a cultural producer and question my own stance on some of the issues at hand. Here are some my top headlines of late:

I’m so fascinated by this idea, but a little creeped out at the sliding scale of bio-human-hybrid.

EATING BUGS — the world has a lot of mouths to feed, and right now it’s not working too well for a large number of humans. Looking to the future, can we redefine edible and renegotiate farming techniques and demands to balance the equation?

I’ve been working with EntoBox to explore how insects could be a future staple protein in our diet, and they are starting by masking our visual clues in an effort to break the taboo.

I mean, if I didn’t know they were bugs I’d be all over these beautifully presented bento box cubes, so can I take the next leap and try one?